elliott



v (No Model.)

J. H. ELLIOTT.'

DRAW BAR.

No. 425,308. Patented Apr. s, 1890.

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JAMES II. ELLIOTT, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA D RAW- BA R SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent NO. 425,308, dated April 8, 1890.

Application filed December 23, 1889. Serial No. 334,708. (No model.)

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements indraw-bars now used for connecting railway cars or coaches on lines ofrailway, and has for its object to provide an improved draw-bar withmeans for preventing the uncoupling and disconnection of the same ingoing around curves or in case of derailment of any of the forward carsof a train to prevent the complete destruction of the cars or coachesfollowing by running into the ditch. By ordinary constructions, when atrain of cars is going around a curve in any line of railway, a suddenjerk or twist of the trainer any of the cars is liable to unlock thedraw-bars, or in the ordinary running of a train of cars around a sharpcurve in a line of railway the draw-bars will unlock, .i especially ifthe curve is anyway sharp. I provide means for so locking the draw-barsthat when a train of cars coupled together thereby is rounding` a curve,should the drawbars become unlocked or from any cause becomedisconnected, the link or links which I employ would still hold the carstogether until the dangerous part of the curve is passed, and the forceof the car or cars following the car or cars in front of the one sounlocked will shove the drawbars together, and thus properly lock themagain without stopping the train or causing any delay or damage to lifeor property in so doing, as has been the case heretofore. X'Vhilc atrain of cars is in motion any sudden check of the impetus will causeall these draw-bars in the train to lock of themselves without stoppingthe train for that purpose, thereby saving a delay.

Other objects and advantages of the in-` vention will appear in thefollowing description, and the novel features of the invention will beparticularly pointed out in the ap pended claims.

The invention clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which,with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, and in which-n Figure l is a top plan illustrating the.application of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view, on anenlarged scale, illustrating the operation of my improvement.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in both figures of thedrawings.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A A representportions of the frame-work of two railway-trucks to which my inventionis applied.A

B B are draw-bars, each connected atV its inner end, as at B', to one ofthe timbers of its respective truck. The outer adjacent ends of thedraw-bars are of the ordinary spearhead form, as shown, and in thepeculiar form of this operative or coupling end of the drawbar I claimnothing new. In ordinary constructions with this class of couplers ordrawbars, in rounding curves, especially when the curve be a very sharpone, the draw-bars become unlocked or disconnected, and thus the carsot' the train are disconnected or separated and accidents are liable tohappen therefrom. To guard against this is the object of my invention,and it is accomplished in the following manner:

C are links, there being one upon the npper side and one upon the lowerside of the draw-bar. These links are attached at their ends to theheads ot the opposite draw-bars, substantially at the center of theheads thereof. These. links are connected at one end, as at C', upon afixed-pivot, and at their ends are each provided with an elongated slotC2, through which the'other pivot C3 passes.

The space between the platform and the upper side of the drawbar is Verysmall, and the pin which is employed for connecting the couplers inplace on the head of the draw-bars should he of such form that it willnot interfere with the under side of the platform or the upper side ofthe draw-bar, and so vthat it will not catch on the under side ot theplatform. The pins may beretained in place in any suitable inanner--as,for instance, by means of a nut, which, when the pin is in place, willbe screwed up near the under side of the draw-bar, and a split pin maybe introduced to prevent the nut from working off from the shaking orjogging of the cars while in moti-on. Of course the nut will not requireto be screwed up close and tight to the under side of the draw-bar, asthe draw-bar must. be allowed sufficient room to play in from the motionof the cars. The operation Will be readily understood.

Vhen the cars are coupled, they are locked by means of links with thepin C3, passed through the slots of the links, as shown. The links aredesigned to be removed at will and secured by use of a nut and splitpin. The links are permanently fixed to one of the heads Vof thedraw-bar, and, being out of the plane thereof, will notinterfere withthe ordinary coupling of the cars. Vith the drawbars thus connected,should the heads beg come unlocked or unfastened for any reasonas, forinstance, in going around. a curvethey will be held together by thelinks, and the links will hold the draw-bars together and preventseparation of the cars. The slots provide for the ordinary play of thedrawbars, so as to prevent injury or breakageof the links and allow theparts to more readily assume their normal position after the dangerouspart of the curve is passed.

The impetus of the train will lock the drawbars, which become uncoupledwhile the train is in motion or passing around a curve. An ordinarycoupling could be made to answer the purpose of the link intended fordrawbar. The links can be reversed on the draw- Should the cars becomebars at any time.

.cg i 425.308

uncoupled, the links will hold the cars together safely.

If the cars run off the track while the train is in progress, althoughthe draw-bars become unlocked, the cars Will be prevented from runningoff into the ditch, although they might run along the ties of the trackfor miles,

which has often been the case.

Vhat I claim as new isl. The combination, with two opposing draw-bars,of a link pivotally connecting the heads thereof and arranged tonormally eX- tend in an inclined direction relatively to the length ofthe draw-bars and extensible in the direction of its length, as setforth.

2. The combination, With tWo opposing` f draw-bars, of a link pivotallyconnected with the heads thereof and provided at one end with anelongated'slot, substantial] y as shown, and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with two opposing draw-bars, of two links, one uponthe upper.

